Modi talks to Vilasrao, reviews security measures in Gujarat (Lead)

Ahmedabad, Nov 27 (IANS) Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi Thursday telephoned his Maharashtra counterpart Vilasrao Deshmukh and offered him any assistance required in wake of the terror strikes in Mumbai late Wednesday night. “In this hour of crisis, the entire state of Gujarat is with Maharashtra,” Modi told Deshmukh and said his government and the Gujarat police were ready to offer services of the state Forensic Science Laboratory and extend any other help if required.

Modi, who also spoke to Maharashtra Home Minister R.R. Patil as well, paid tributes to the policemen who lost their lives while performing their duties against the terrorists.

“On behalf of the people of Gujarat I offer my sympathies for the families of the deceased,” he said.

The Gujarat Chief Minister had convened an urgent high-level meeting at Gandhinagar to review internal security in the state, in the wake of the Mumbai attack.

At the meeting, attended by top officials of state home department and police, Modi ordered tightening up of internal security arrangements in the state and sought preliminary reports on the Mumbai attack and its fallout on Gujarat.

The chief minister asked the officials to remain fully vigilant and ensure elaborate security arrangements across the state, especially in the coastal regions after initial reports indicated that the terrorists could have sneaked into Mumbai from across the sea from Karachi.

Minister of State for Home Amit Shah, Additional Principal Home Secretary Balvantsinh, and Director General of Police P.C. Pandey, besides other senior officials, were present at the meeting.